The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a rail or track-bound vehicle, particularly a monorail or monorail vehicle.
Generally speaking, the rail vehicle, particularly the monorail, is of the type comprising a plurality of vehicles or cars, wherein adjacent or neighboring ones of such vehicles or cars are operatively interconnected or coupled with one another by means of an associated coupling device. Between each two adjacent or neighboring vehicles or cars there is arranged a bogie or the like provided with an axle suspension for supporting wheels and guide wheels running on a track.
A monorail with a bogie having an axle suspension for supporting wheels and guide wheels and located between the vehicles or cars to be coupled is known in this technology. At each of the ends of this bogie, there is located a respective coupling device, at which the coupled vehicles or cars are held so as to each pivot about a vertical steering axis. Supporting wheels are mounted on a transverse wheel axle located between these two coupling devices or between these steering axes.
In such a known coupling device construction, the forces cannot be directly introduced into the supporting wheels, so that in the case of an unequal or irregular vehicle or car weight, there results a pivoting or turning of the bogie about its transverse axis. To obtain an equilibrium condition or state, there occurs an additional loading of the spring suspension, and thus it is necessary that such spring suspension be designed to meet this requirement. During rotation of the bogie about a vertical axis located roughly or approximately centrally between both of the vertical steering axes, a movement of the vehicle or car in the transverse direction is obtained, so that it is placed into oscillations or vibrations. Also a transverse force acting on the vehicle or car can lead to a disadvantageous rotation of the bogie and consequently to rough or disquiet running of the vehicle or car. As a result of a vertical movement of one of the vehicles or cars, due to the two spaced vertical steering axes on the bogie, there results a disadvantageous longitudinal movement of the remainder of the vehicle or car. This leads to rough or disquiet running of the individual vehicle or cars and consequently the train of the monorail system.